RC Toys On the Shelf at Wal-Mart in 2008

Mike reports: What I found intriguing about this two-channel RC plane is that all you have to do is tilt your wrist to the left or right to control the direction of flight. It uses M.A.S.C. (Motion Auto Sensing Controller). If all RC planes were like this I would be a master pilot by now (in my own mind). Now if it could sense forward and backward tilts for dives and last second pull backs, that would be awesome. But this indoor flyer is still one that I wouldn't mind taking off the shelf and bringing home (hmmm... Father's Day isn't far off is it?). The FireBug has a 9" wingspan, flashing lights on the wing tips and around the cockpit, and charges in 45 secondes or less. I want one. Estes also has some other planes that use M.A.S.C..

Samantha reports: It was the shine that caught my eye first. This bright blue 1 Badd Ride RC looks like a slick, fast racing street machine. The 1BaddRide product line is from Professional Collectibles, Limited. In addition to radio controlled toys they make high-end diecast collectibles. The car I spotted is a blue Saleen S7 but there are many others in the series as well. It comes with a full function controller, is 49MHz, and requires a 9V and five AA batteries (not included, boo!). One of the plusses over a lot of other RC toy websites is that they have a customer forum where you can discuss your 1 Badd Ride RC. And here's a Hobby Talk forum where 1 Badd Ride collectors gather. Here's review of one of the cars in this series.

Lyla reports: With the release of the new Speed Racer movie it's no surprise that there are a ton of Speed Racer toys on the shelves now -- including a radio controlled Speed Racer car. The one that caught my eye is the Hot Wheels Speed Racer Mach 5. Mattel also makes the Speed Racer Mach 6, Racer X Road Car and Racer X GT as well as other non-RC Speed Racer toys. This toy is for ages 3+ and comes with a built-in Speed Racer figurine. The Speed Racer Mach 5 has simple function steering, 27MHz, and a range of 30 feet. 4AA batteries are required but not included. Speed Racer, the movie, is in theatres May 9.

Jacci reports: The Hot Wheels R/C line from Mattel and Tyco R/C includes more than just superheroes and movie stars. A couple of the newest trucks are the silver Toyota FJ Cruiser and the black Ford F-150 with cool red and gray flames. These RCs are for agea 6 and up, have a nice 65 foot range, and come with a 4.8V rechargeable NiCd battery pak and charger as well as the AA batteries for the controller (included batteries -- a big plus in my book). There are also some smaller Hot Wheels R/C vehicles for ages 5+. These don't come with batteries and to me look a little plainer than the larger trucks.

Sarah reports: I love big trucks with in-your-face suspension and big tires so this 1:16 scale beauty immediately got my attention. Sure, it's made for 4 year olds, but it's still a big truck and I like big trucks, so there. Keeping track of RCs and separate transmitters is hard enough for sdults, so this RC helps out the youngsters with its full function wired remote that goes forward/reverse and left/right. Of course being wired means you have to walk along with the truck, but that's not a bad thing for most little kids. Part of the Ultimate Truck Series from New Bright, choose from the black/silver/red Dodge Ram or the silver Ford F-150 (pictured). You'll need to supply your own AA batteries but it's an afforadable under $15 toy.